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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

The Pelham Panthers won games on back-to-back nights after they beat the Prattville Lions 81-55 on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at Pelham High School one night after defeating the Marbury Bulldogs 65-50 on Monday, Dec. 11 at Marbury High School.

The game against Class 7A Prattville started as a back and forth contest, with the Panthers winning the first quarter 15-13. Pelham’s energy ignited early on thanks to a massive dunk by Egypt Daniel in the quarter.

The second quarter was very similar to the first, as the Lions came out strong to begin the quarter while Pelham’s defense got stronger as the quarter went on.

The Panthers’ defense only gave up eight points in the second quarter while their offense added 13, which gave Pelham a 28-21 halftime lead.

The third quarter was an offensive clinic by both teams as they combined for 44 points. The Panthers erupted for 23 points while the Lions added 21, and that extended the home side’s lead to 51-41 going into the 4th quarter.

Pelham saved its best offense for the final period as it erupted for 30 points in the fourth quarter to pull away. Prattville’s offense couldn’t work its way back in the final eight minutes and only scored 13 more points, sealing the 81-55 victory for the Panthers.

Pelham was led in scoring by Joe Wimberly who had 18 and Sam Tolbert with 16, with Dynarian Long, Daniel and Jayden Robinson adding nine points each.

The night before, the Panthers got back in the win column after dropping their two previous games with a big 15-point victory.

The Panthers came out of the gate with an 11-0 run. Wimberly was responsible for seven of those points to help the offense remain hot and complement a lockdown defense, giving Pelham a 24-14 lead.

The hot offensive start came to a skid in the 2nd quarter thanks to an improved Bulldogs defense improved, which held the Panthers to nine in the quarter.

However, Pelham still won the quarter behind its strong defensive effort that continued from the first quarter and allowed just eight points in the second period.

The Panthers led 33-22 at halftime, and that lead only grew as Pelham came out in the third quarter on another big run. The offense put up 18 points in the third and began to pull away from Marbury, increasing the lead by six to 51-34 going into the fourth quarter.

Once again, the Panthers opened the quarter on a big run, but it was the Bulldogs who took the fourth quarter. They outscored Pelham in the final quarter 16-14, but the Panthers still walked away with a 65-50 win.

Pelham was led in scoring by Long, who had 20 points, and Daniel followed with 10 points.